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1310 Model.)

T. L. BLANFORD.

POULTRI CRATE.

Patented Nov. 15,1881.

WITNESSES:

W ATTORNEY? ens. Photo-murmur, Wishingiam n. e

FUNITED. STAT-ES,

OFFICE.

THOMAS L. BLANFOREOF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.-

POULTRY-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 110,249,498, dated November 15, 1881.

Application filed May 21, 1861. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LTHOMAs L. BLANFORD, of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Poultry-Grates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and ex act description of the invention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The same letters and figures of reference are used to indicate the corresponding parts.

After describing the invention, its nature and extent will be shown in the claims.

Figure'l is a transverse section of my improved crate, taken in the plane indicated by the line y 3 Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken in the 'planeindicated by the line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the crate, showing the cover.

My invention relates to a crate used for the transportation of poultry, its object being to provide a crate which will withstand the rough usage ordinarilyincidentto the shipment from point to point; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of parts, as hereinafter shown, described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, the letter A indicates the bottom of the crate, whichis preferablyformed of woven splints and provided with a rim, B. At each end and at suitable intermediate points of the bottom are arranged vertical bows O, the lower ends of which are firmly secured to the rim B. Over the bows I stretch an inclosing net-work, E, of wire, the longitudinal edges of which are. respectively secured to the rim on the opposite sides of the bottom and to the lower ends of the bows (J. The ends of the crate are closed by a wire-netting, E, secured to the outer edges of the end bows.

In order to firmly brace the crate, so thatit will stand the pressure resulting from piling such crates one upon another, and being placed beneath other packages, I arrange under the end bows bracing-arches F,the legs of which extend obliquely downward and have their the crate.

feet secured to the inner faces of the bows, im mediately above the rim B. About mid-length of the crate I arrange a similar bracing-arch, 'F, the apex of which is firmly secured to a longitudinal top brace, G, which extends along the center of the top of the crate and is secured to the bows, and serves also to support the nettingbetween said bows. The legs of this intermediate arch extend obliquely downward and have their feet secured to the rim. Between the legs of all the bracing-arches there extends cross-braces H, firmly secured tothe legs of said arches. From the crossbraces of the end arches strengthening-rods I extend obliquely upward to the tops of the next inner bows, extending through said bows and terminating in eyes K above the top of Downwardly from said cross-braces there extend strengthening-rods L, passing outside the rim at the ends of the bottom of the crate, bent under and clinched through said bottom. These strengthening-rods I and L tend to prevent the crate from being crushed or jammed out of shape longitudinally.

In the top of the crate is left a suitable opening to afford access to the interior, and this opening is closed by a gate, M, consisting of a frame, m, covered with wire-netting m, and having its ends a bent to engage with the eyes K,formedjon the projecting ends of the strengthening-rods I.

At the upper corners of the crate longitudi nal bracing-bars G are secured to the bends of the bows outside the netting, and serve as fenders also for these corners.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a poultry-crate, the combination, with the vertical bows covered by a suitable reticulated fabric, of the bracingarches F, sub stantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a poultry-crate, the combination, with the bottom, the vertical bows G, a suitable closing-coverin g supported by said bows, and

the bracing-arches F, of the cross-bars H and strengthening-rods I and L, substantially as described.

3. In a poultry-crate having the vertical bows O and bracing-arches F, the e0inbinahave hereunto set my hand this 20th day of tion, with said arches, of the cross-barsH and May, 1881.

the strengthening-rods I, extending inwardly v and upwardly through two of the inner bows THOMAS BLANFORD' 5 and terminating in eyes K, engaging the ends Witnesses:

of the gate-frame, substantially as described. GHAs. S. SHREVE,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I I J. F. KING. a 

